


how i see you

by Crazyloststar



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Dorks in Love, Established Relationship, Gift Giving, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:35:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21924520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazyloststar/pseuds/Crazyloststar
Summary: “Does this have something to do with the strange ice sculpture they found in the kitchen?”“Uuuuh. No?”***Noctis and Prompto agree to make each other gifts this holiday. Noctis proceeds to panic.Written for the 2019 FFXV Holiday Exchange
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 14
Kudos: 100
Collections: FFXV Holiday Gift Exchange 2019





	how i see you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dezolis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dezolis/gifts).



> Happy Holidays! I had a lot of fun with this, hope you enjoy!
> 
> I used the holiday of Starlight Celebration from FFXIV for this story.

“I command you!”

Gladio looked over the top of his book at Noctis, who stood in the middle of his living room waving a pointed finger as deliberately as possible. He tried to keep a stern look despite how fucking silly he felt.

“You can’t command me to tell you what to get your boyfriend for the Starlight Celebration.”

Noctis deflated. Gladio was right, unfortunately, but -- “It was worth a try,” he mumbled.

Gladio closed his book. “What’s the deal?”

“You’re just like...super romantic, aren't you? You go on dates all the time.”

Gladio put his book on his knee. Noctis groaned and fell to the couch. He hated how embarrassing this was, but he felt like he had no other options.

“I just don't know what to make Prompto, and I _know_ he’s going to make something super amazing and meanwhile I’ll look like an idiot. We promised we wouldn’t spend a lot of money on each other, and do something homemade, but I just. It’s so much easier to buy Prompto something he wants.”

“If you do something from the heart, you won’t look like an idiot.” Gladio picked his book back up.

Noctis groaned and let his head fall back on the cushion. “So, you won’t even give me a little help?”

“Nope,” he turned a page. The jerk probably wasn't even really reading, just making a point out of ignoring him.

Noctis shoved his face against the couch. Maybe he could suffocate and then lack of oxygen would be a good excuse to not have been able to think of a good present.

“Quit being so dramatic,” the pillow was pulled away from his face and tossed aside. When Noctis looked up, Gladio was rubbing his chin and looking out towards the balcony doors.

“I mean, the easiest way to be romantic is to write some poetry.”

Noctis sat up. “Ya?”

He shrugged. “Just write down how he makes you feel. Can’t go wrong with that.”

“Isn't writing poetry actually hard?”

They stared at each other.

Gladio crossed his arms. “I wouldn't know, not like I've written it.”

Noctis mimicked him. “You so have.”

“Have not.”

“Have too.”

“Have not.”

Noctis catapulted himself across the couch. “Come on dude! Let me see your poetry! I need inspiration!”

Gladio pushed him back with a hand on his face, but Noctis kept trying to crawl forward. “Hell no!”

“Ha ha! So you _have_ written some!”

He was shoved back and a pillow was flung in Noctis’s face.

“I’m not sharing it with you because one it’s private, so go write your own goddamn poem. And two, it won't mean anything if you're just copying me!”

“Come on! You can train my body _and_ my mind!”

“Get out before I kick your ass.”

“Gladioooooo.”

This time it was a couch cushion that knocked Noctis back and onto the floor.

* * *

“Something on your mind, Noct?”

He moved to the other side of Ignis, observing just how many different spices he had out on the counter. There were several pans, and a pot, and he was trying hard to take mental notes of everything without seeming too suspicious.

“Nope.”

Ignis paused, then after a moment, stirred the contents of the pot again. Noctis leaned forward to observe. Ignis kept stirring, then released the spoon with a sigh.

“Alright, what exactly is going on.”

“What? Can't a guy watch his best friend cook his boyfriend’s favorite meal for no reason at all?”

He chanced a glance up at Ignis, who had one eyebrow raised. Dang, the best friend line probably sold him out.

“I see,” Ignis adjusted his glasses. He went back to stirring. “Thinking of trying your hand at Prompto’s favorite dish?

He puffed up a little. “For the Starlight Celebration we agreed to do something homemade. I thought uh, cooking might be nice to try.”

Ignis hummed. “Cooking, hm?” There was a pause. Noctis thought maybe he would drop it and continue cooking.

“You already spoke with Gladio, haven't you?”

Noctis schooled his face to not show any emotion at recalling his attempts of romance through terrible terrible poetry. “Maybe.”

Ignis looked at him.

“I didn’t like his ideas.” Noctis defended.

Ignis tilted his head.

“Okay okay! I tried to write poetry and I’m apparently really bad at it.”

He caught the way Ignis smiled like he had figured out some mystery. He was surrounded by jerks.

Noctis waved his hands around. “Anyways, cooking. That seems easy enough, right?”

“If you say so...”

* * *

“You want to try doing what now?” Nyx wiped dirt off his hands on his pants as he rose from the ground of the training area.

Maybe asking Nyx for advice after a sparring session was a bad idea but hey, even as the prince Nyx was hard to track down without causing a big deal.

“Use magic to make something cool.” Noctis took a large drink of water. He wiped his face with his towel, and when he opened his eyes Nyx was staring at him.

“Like...what exactly?”

“I don't know, can you like. Make ice?”

Nyx blinked. “Ya?”

“So in theory, that means you _could_ make an ice sculpture.”

Nyx blinked. He looked around them, then back to Noctis. “You punkin’ me, Highness?”

“No!” Noctis threw his head back with a sigh. He really was tired of explaining himself over and over again. “I just need. I need help making something super cool for...Prompto.”

Nyx broke out into a smile. Noctis groaned. It wasn’t like people didn't know about them being together and all, but he also just didn't like to make a big deal about their relationship around other people. It made him feel weird, to talk about it with others. It wasn't anyone's business who he was with.

Nyx clapped him on the shoulder. “That’s some cute shit. Shouldn't you be asking oh I don't know, your advisor for help?”

Noctis cleared this throat. “I uh, I did already.” He hoped Nyx wouldn’t try to pry for more information.

He raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure whatever the great Ignis Scientia could come up with is better than anything I can do.”

Noctis groaned. _Oh for astral’s sake_

“It’s more like...I apparently don't know how to cook to save my life.”

Nyx draped a towel around his shoulders. “What'd you do, burn his place down?”

Noctis focused on a string he could pull from the towel. “Remember when the fire department showed up two days ago and it was all over the news and no one would say what happened?”

He looked up when there was silence. Nyx stared, and then started laughing. “That was you?”

He pulled the towel off him and swung it around as he shouted over Nyx. “Look I didn't realize the gas was still on, the flame went out and then I don't know. It was just in the spare kitchen and no one was hurt but I am not going anywhere near a stove ever again if I can help it.”

Nyx had stopped laughing. It was something he always appreciated about the guy, that he knew when to not poke fun at Noctis _too_ hard.

He punched his arm softly. “Sure, let's make a kick ass ice sculpture for your boyfriend, Highness.”

Noctis smiled. “Fuck ya!”

* * *

His note to Luna had way more information in it than he had anticipated when he had written to her asking for advice on what to do.

But considering that his attempt to make something with Nyx had resulted in a giant ice pillar jammed through the citadel kitchen ceiling, he was really starting to run out of options.

So when Umbra showed up quicker than usual with the notebook once more, he knew he was either in for trouble, or brilliance.

_Oh Noct,_

_First of all, you’re so silly to think that Prompto would never like anything you created for him. You shouldn’t be overthinking this._

_However, I shall do my best to give some advice._

_I do believe music can often be such a wonderful and peaceful experience for two people to share together._

_I have fond memories of my father playing the piano for my mother when I was young. Her face was angelic, she was so happy in those moments._

_If I recall, you learned how to play the piano? Perhaps you could play something that is meaningful to you both._

_Please keep me posted!_

Noctis closed the notebook and fell back on the bed.

In theory, he had learned how to play the piano. But that was over ten years ago, and he certainly hadn’t kept up on it when he was no longer forced to go to lessons.

But it couldn't be that hard to pick it back up right? Probably like riding a bicycle.

Yeah.

* * *

Iris sat at a table in the kitchen when Noctis came in after training with Gladio. He looked to see she was coloring something.

“You draw?” he was slightly surprised, but he supposed he shouldn't be. Gladio was a softie, with his romance books. Maybe it was genetic that the Amicitias had a softer side.

Iris hummed. “Just for fun. I know it can't be my job or nothing.”

Noctis chugged some water from the sink, and then walked over to inspect her work. It was a beautiful sunset.

“Wow, Iris, that's really good.”

“Thanks!” She kept working.

Noctis got an idea. “Hey, can I join you?”

She looked up at him with wide eyes and smiled. “Yeah! Do you know how to draw?”

He sat across from her. She handed him a blank piece of paper, and he started to go through the colored pencils.

“Not much. but...” He really wasn’t sure how hard it could be, if she was so good.

“What will you draw?”

"A chocobo." He smiled, proud of himself. and really, how hard would that be? They were mostly feathers anyways.

He did a quick scan through his photos and found one of Prompto, from the time they spent at the chocobo farm outside the city. There was a small black baby chocobo there at the time Prompto had been completely smitten over. He found a good pic he could use as a reference and got to work.

* * *

This was it. It was the day before the Starlight Celebration. Noctis hadn’t figured out what to get Prompto. He was officially The Worst Boyfriend Ever.

He could probably make a new tree with the amount of paper he had wasted trying to draw something. He reminded himself as he poked at his food that he should probably just burn it all so no one could later find it in their trash and blackmail him for his shitty art.

“Noctis? Something the matter?”

He stabbed at his potato. “No.”

“That potato might say differently,” his dad laughed. Noctis groaned.

“I just.” he paused and looked up. His dad knew about Prompto, knew they were dating, and hadn't even been surprised when he had strode into his office and exclaimed the turn of events. He actually had smirked.

Noctis had found out later his dad had a bet going with Clarus.

So the idea of telling his dad, number one troll and worst at keeping anything a secret not related to royal matters, about his trouble with making something for Prompto, was terrifying.

But considering he had literally checked off everyone on his list he could possibly think to ask…

“Did you….” he wasn't sure how to ask though, because he knew his dads experience was probably a painful memory. They didn't talk about his mom much, and he felt too bad to ever bring it up.

Regis gave him a soft look. Noctis drew himself upright in his seat.

“Did you ever do anything like...uh, did you make any gifts for mom?” it was weird to say the words, weirder still to say mom.

Regis smiled. Noctis tried not to curl away, because it was his dad’s sad smile that he always felt bad for causing.

“Does this have something to do with the strange ice sculpture they found in the kitchen?”

“Uuuuh. No?”

Regis laughed. Noctis couldn't help but smile a little.

“If you want to make something meaningful and from the heart, it must come from you, Noctis. No one else can know what suits Prompto better than you.”

Noctis blushed. “Oi mean, sure, but I suck at this kind of stuff. Prompto’s great at it, I know he's going to make something super sweet and ugh.”:

He pursed his lips shut.

His dad took a sip of his wine, and then winked. He actually winked. “Just think about what makes you happy, when you’re with Prompto. And try to express that by giving him a piece of you.”

He stared at his food. He really had nothing else to lose at this point.

* * *

On the morning of the Starlight Celebration, Noctis first had to do all the annoying official holiday stuff at the citadel before he could see Prompto. Throughout the ceremony, he was on autopilot - all he could think about was the gift he had finally decided on.

It made him tight with nerves and anxiety, full of worry about whether what he had decided to do was good enough. Prompto really deserved the best, he deserved the world, for everything he did for Noctis, and he only hoped to even come close to showing that to him.

By the afternoon, he was released from all royal duties. As soon as he was in his room he changed out of his royal garb and grabbed his phone.

_Hey you free yet???_

_Not yet dude, this evening remember?_

Shit, he was right. Prompto had said that evening. His family was in town to celebrate the holidays.

_Ok ok. I miss you. You’ll come to my place?_

_Ya of course! See you soon I promise._

Noctis had gotten himself so worked up, he wasn’t in a state to be alone stuck in his apartment for hours. But he had no choice. Ignis and Gladio were spending the rest of the day together with Gladio’s family, and his dad always spent the afternoon in temple to pay respects to their ancestors alongside the oracle, as per tradition.

Noctis opted to curl up on the couch under blankets and catch up on documentaries he’d been meaning to watch on his own - he had a weird obsession with all the stories about the legend lost city of Solheim, but he never subjected anyone else to watching any type of show about it. So he spent the afternoon watching the latest show about deep dives trying to find evidence of the civilization off the coast of Galdin Quay.

Time went by much faster than he had anticipated, when his phone buzzed and he was alerted that several hours had passed.

_I’m on my way!_

Noctis flew off the couch and ran into his bedroom. He got into his black joggers and a black sweatshirt - they would just be cuddled up on the couch tonight so he convinced himself he didn't need to dress up. But he did make sure he still looked presentable - his hair was still done from that morning at least.

He then got the gift for Prompto out and set it on the coffee table. He took a deep breath, and sat back down on the couch.

When the door opened, Noctis hopped out of his seat with nerves. Prompto shouted a greeting as he shuffled in the hallway, until he emerged free of his shoes and overcoat.

He wore a baggy ugly Starlight sweater, the blues and silvers looking almost holographic, and a cute beanie and his glasses.

He looked so cozy and adorable. Fuck.

Noctis stood awkwardly in the living room, suddenly realizes that with the gift on the table he really had no way to hide it now and he had to go through with his plan. He had taken a gamble with his final idea, but he couldn't think of anything else that he thought would show just how much...

“Noct?” Prompto stepped forward, his own gift-wrapped box in hand.

“Sorry uh, just.” He smiled nervously. He grabbed Prompto’s gift and held it out with both hands. “I'm excited.”

Prompto smiled wide. His eyes crinkled behind his glasses. “Me too!”

They exchanged gifts, and both sat on the couch with their thighs touching. Prompto smelled like cinnamon and Noctis somehow resisted the urge to just lean into his shoulder and inhale.

He looked at the brown box with a silver bow at the same time Prompto looked at his white box with a bright blue ribbon. Ignis helped him wrap it and he was sure that was obvious. They both caught each other’s eyes and smiled.

“You first,” Noctis pushed.

Prompto nudged back. “No way.”

Noctis leaned against him. “Come ooon,”

Prompto pressed against him, until Noctis was lying flat on the couch with Prompto basically on top of him. “Please you first.”

“Fine fine,”

Prompto bounced up and they settled once more on the couch. Noctis opened the box carefully. “Oh wow, Prompto.” Inside the box rested four rows of lures. “Did you…?”

“Ya uh,” Prompto scratched at his cheek. “I made them myself.”

Noctis carefully dragged a finger down a row of the lures. There were four different kinds, chocobos, cactuars, Kenny the crows, and malboros. They were so well crafted, he couldn’t help but stare.

“Prompto, these look amazing. You made these?”

It was clear he was blushing. Noctis couldn't stop looking at them. “These are so cool, I’m so impressed.”

He was feeling very self-conscious about his gift, suddenly. It paled in comparison to the amount of work this took Prompto when he already had such a busy schedule.

“I especially love Kenny the crow one.”

Prompto laughed. “Ya, I can't wait until it gets decimated by a big one.”

“Hell yeah.”

He inspected them further, until he could see Prompto’s leg bouncing out of the corner of his eye.

“Ok ok your turn.”

He set the box down on the coffee table and watched as Prompto quickly opened it. Inside was an album. Prompto touched the cover reverently. It was a picture of them both, one from high school when they had first started hanging out.

Noctis fidgeted, nervous because this wasn't going to be what Prompto probably thought it was.

“I didn't expect,” Prompto pulled out the album and flipped to the first page. It was a photo of Prompto, one day in class, concentrating on his work with his tongue sticking out in a way that Noctis had found adorable at the time. He paused, then opened the book more so Noctis could also see the pages.

“I uh,” Noctis cleared his throat. Shit, this was hard, to be so raw and open. “I wanted...I mean, you have so many selfies and pictures of other people but like. You never see what I see, you know? And I realized as I was going through uh, photos, that...I take a lot of you when you aren't looking, in moments where I…”

He paused a little. “Where I really think how much I love you.”

Prompto looked up at him. His eyes were shining, and gods if he started crying Noctis wasn't sure what he was going to do.

But he went back to the album and turned to the next page. Prompto petting a dog, Prompto taking photos of mountains on the side of the road, Prompto laughing with Gladio and Ignis at dinner.

His hand shook as he turned another page. “Noct”

“Is...is it okay?” The way Prompto hadn't said anything, he had worried he had fucked up. Who would want an album just of themselves? He was such an idiot.

“I love it. I love you. I just. I never.” He took a shuddering breath. “I didn't think this was how anyone...saw me.”

Noctis leaned against him more. He rested his hand on Prompto’s thigh.

Another page. Prompto drinking a shake through a straw, eyes closed and a blissful smile on his face. Him taking a nap with a game controller on his chest. Curled up in a blanket on the couch.

“Well it's true. This is how I see you. You’re pretty amazing, Prompto.”

He set the album back in the box and rested both hands on top of it. “Noctis,”

“Ya?”

“Just. I don’t know, why?”

“Why what?”

“Why this. All of this. I just don't. How am I good enough, what did I do to deserve this?”

Noctis grabbed the box, moved it and then turned Prompto by the hands so they faced each other.

“Hey, listen to me, okay? You should know better by now. You are awesome.”

Prompto took in another breath, shoulders pushing back. He nodded. Noctis cupped his jaw in his hands, leaned over and kissed him softly.

Prompto whimpered into the kiss. Noctis gave him a few more pecks for good measure.

“Happy Starlight, Prompto.”

“Happy Starlight, Noctis.”


End file.
